Boiga multomaculata multomaculata ( Boie, 1827 )

Köhler, Gunther, Charunrochana, Panupong Thammachoti, Mogk, Linda, Than, Ni Lar, Kurniawan, Nia, Kadafi, Ahmad Muammar, Das, Abhijit, Tillack, Frank & O’Shea, Mark, 2023, A taxonomic revision of Boiga multomaculata (Boie, 1827) and B. ochracea (Theobald, 1868), with the description of a new subspecies (Squamata, Serpentes, Colubridae), Zootaxa 5270 (2), pp. 151-193 : 170-173

Boiga multomaculata multomaculata ( Boie, 1827)

Ocellated Asian Cat snake

1931 B. multomaculata hainanensis Mell : 213.

1931 B. multomaculata sikiangensis Mell : 213.

Geographic distribution. As currently known, B. m. multomaculata is distributed across Thailand south of 17° N latitude, central and southern Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, southern China (including Hainan) and on the Indonesian islands of Java, Bali, and probably Sumatra ( Zhao & Adler 1993; David & Vogel 1996; Nguyen et al. 2009; Das 2010; Chan-ard et al. 2015).

There are a number of incorrect listings of this taxon. An erroneous Singapore record goes back to Cantor and led to B. multomaculata being listed for West Malaysia, too. The absence of B. multomaculata on Malayan Peninsula was already clarified by Smith (1930:63–64). For Sulawesi, Borneo, Singapore (West Malaysia) no reliable records are available or no vouchers are preserved in any collection. However, various authors still listed some of these implausible localities in very recent literature and in databases. David & Vogel (1996) report the presence of B. multomaculata on Sumatra but there are no references that provide a reliable record for the taxon from this island. Most probably the inclusion of Sumatra is based on a misinterpretation of a paper from Franz Werner (1900) about a collection from Sumatra purchased by Schneider. This paper includes a table with species that occur on Sumatra set against adjacent regions/islands. In this table B. multomaculata is listed, but not for Sumatra! It is possible someone reading the title of Werner’s paper and seeing B. multomaculata listed, came to the incorrect conclusion that it was present.

Type material. The description of Dipsas multomaculata is based on an unknown number of specimens. Our research has revealed that specimens from the collections in Leiden and Berlin can be attributed to the original syntype series (see Introduction). In agreement with Art. 74.7 of the Code, we here designate RMNH. RENA 979b ( Figs. 8 and 9 ) as lectotype of Dipsas multomaculata Boie, 1827 to introduce a standard of application for the species group name multomaculata Boie with a single name-bearer.

Lectotype. RMNH. RENA 979 b, an adult female from Java, collector and date of collection not stated in RMNH inventory catalogue.

Paralectotypes. RMNH. RENA 979 d an adult female, RMNH. RENA 979 e a subadult female, RMNH 979 f a juvenile female, and ZMB 50879 an adult female, same collecting data as for the lectotype .

Description of the lectotype. Adult female, indicated by the absence of hemipenes; 1/1 loreal, wider than high; nasal scale completely divided; 1/1 preocular; 1/1 supraocular; 2/2 postoculars, upper not reaching onto top of head; 2 prefrontals; 2/1 anterior and 2/2 posterior temporals; supralabials 8/8, 3 rd –5 th supralabials entering eye; 11/11 infralabials, first four in contact with anterior chin shields; dorsal scales in 19-19-15 rows, smooth with single tiny apical pits on body and single or paired apical pits on dorsocaudal scales; vertebral scale row significantly enlarged; no preventral; 214 ventrals; cloacal plate entire; 89 paired subcaudal scales. Body slender; tail long (TL/SVL 0.243); SVL 592 mm; TL 144 mm, head length measured from tip of snout to posterior border of parietals 14.2 mm, head length measured from tip of snout to posterior edge of mandible 18.8 mm, head width 11.1 mm; diameter eye 3.3 mm; distance anterior border eye to tip of snout 5.2 mm.

Dentition. Maxillary bone with 11/11 prediastemal teeth, followed by a distinct diastema which is 65% longer than the socket of the last prediastemal tooth and followed by two distinctly enlarged, grooved and posteriorly bent postdiastemal teeth. Prediastemal teeth slightly decrease in size posteriorly, the anterior two distinctly posteriorly hooked, the following with less pronounced curvature. On the left side, prediastemal teeth number five, seven, nine, 11, and second postdiastemal loose. On the right side, prediastemal teeth two, four, five, and second postdiastemal tooth loose. Medial to each maxillary tooth is a single replacement tooth at different growth stages.

Palatine bone with 6/6 posteriorly curved teeth, shorter that the prediastemal teeth and slightly decreasing in size posteriorly. Tooth one broken, teeth two, four and six loose on left side. Tooth three broken, teeth two, four and six loose on the right side. Lateral to each palatine tooth is a single replacement tooth at different growth stages. Pterygoid bone with 12/12 posteriorly curved teeth, shorter than the palatine tooth, gradually decreasing in size posteriorly. Teeth one, three, four, five and 12 loose on left side. Teeth three, four, five and nine loose on right side. The posterior 60% of the pterygoid bone are without teeth.

Mandibular bone with 17/17 posteriorly curved teeth, shorter than maxillary teeth, gradually decreasing in size posteriorly. Medial to each mandibular tooth is a single replacement tooth in different growth stages. Teeth two, four and six loose on left side. Teeth two, four, six, eight and 10 loose on right side.

Coloration after approximately 200 years preservation in ca. 70% ethanol was recorded as follows: Dorsal ground color Tawny Olive (Color 17) with Natal Brown (49) mottling on scales and with 62 dorsolateral pairs of Sepia (279) colored blotches on body that have a paler (Amber 51 suffused with Smoke Gray 266) center and a white to Pale Buff (1) border; dorsolateral body blotches separated by a Pale Buff (1) vertebral interspace; below the dorsolateral row of blotches an alternating row of smaller, irregularly shaped blotches with the same coloration; dorsal head with same ground color as dorsal body and a V-shaped Sepia (279) marking open towards the neck, starting from the inner posterior edges of the internasals and ending at the level of the last third of the last supralabial; an oval marking on the neck partly inside the bifurcation of the V-shaped element and with the same coloration as described for the body blotches; a Sepia (279) colored postocular stripe ending at the angle of the mouth; edges of posterior upper labials and edges of infralabials Sepia (279). Venter Cream Color (12) with Tawny Olive (17) colored alternating irregular shaped spots; ventral head Cream Color (12) without prominent markings.

Dorsal scale reduction formula.

5+6(6)	4+5(8)	8+9(142)	2+3(154)
(5)23 ---------- 21	--------- 19 ------------ 17 ------------ 15(214).
4+5(7)	4+5(11)	8+9(145)	2+3(151)

Variation. Paralectotypes and additional examined material agree well with the lectotype in general appearance, morphometrics and scalation ( Table 1 ).

Variation in dentition. Nine to 13 prediastemal teeth followed by a distinct diastema and two enlarged grooved postdiastemal teeth; six to seven palatine, eight to 12 pterygoid, and 17 to 19 dental teeth.

Variation in live coloration and pattern. Only a blotched morph is known ( Fig. 10 ). The dorsal ground color can vary from Pale Neutral Gray (color 296) to True Cinnamon (260), blotches on body Dark Grayish Brown (284) to Sepia (286), edged Smoky White (261) or Cream White (52). Iris may vary, in accordance with the dorsal ground color, from Pale Neutral Gray (color 296) to Medium Neutral Grey (299) or from Orange-Rufous (56) to True Cinnamon (260), with black Sepia (286) pupil. Ventral head and throat Smoky White (261), rest of venter can vary from Pale Neutral Gray (296) to Cream White (52) with small Pale Neutral Grey (296) or Cinnamon (255) spots.

Natural History. Boiga m. multomaculata is arboreal and nocturnal and known to inhabit different forest types, agricultural land and gardens from near sea level up to 1600 m above sea level (a.s.l.), where it is found in bushes, bamboo groves and trees. It is reported to feed on birds and lizards. The reproduction is oviparous with clutch sizes of four to eight eggs. The total length of hatchlings vary from 195 to 200 mm ( Mell 1922; Pope 1935; Manthey & Grossmann 1997; McKay 2006; Das 2010; Chan-ard et al. 2015). Kopstein (1938) reported amphigonia retardata for populations from Java with additional ovipositions of uniquely fertilized females after two and eight months, respectively.

Figures

FIGURE 8. Lectotype of Dipsas multomaculata Boie (RMNH.RENA 979b). A. dorsal view; B. ventral view. See text for details. Scale bar = 10 cm. Photo by FT.

FIGURE 9. Lectotype of Dipsas multomaculata Boie (RMNH.RENA 979b). A. dorsal view of head; B. right lateral view of head; C. left lateral view of head; D. ventral view of head. Scale bar = 1 cm. Photos by FT, line drawings by MOS.

FIGURE 10. Boiga m. multomaculata from Java in life (NK 2078). Photo by Luhur Septiadi.